For Women

The Long-term Benefit of Estrogen Exposure on the Progression of Liver Fibrosis in Women Infected with Hepatitis C

Female sex is a protective factor for the progression of fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Experimental data suggest that estrogens may have an antifibrotic effect.

The objective of this study in Paris, France was to evaluate the influence of past pregnancies, oral contraceptives, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on liver fibrosis progression in HCV-infected women.

Four hundred seventy-two HCV-infected women received a survey regarding prior pregnancies, menopause, and the use of oral contraceptives and HRT.

The impact of these variables on liver fibrosis and its progression were evaluated using multivariate analyses considering all putative confounding factors.

Two hundred one women completed the survey (43% response rate), 157 of whom had an estimated date of HCV infection (96 postmenopausal women, 96 women with previous pregnancies, and 105 women with past use of oral contraceptives).

Through multivariate analyses, the estimated rate of fibrosis progression was higher in postmenopausal and nulliparous women and was associated with greater histological activity.

Prior use of oral contraceptives had no significant influence.

Among postmenopausal women, the estimated rate of fibrosis progression was lower in women who received HRT compared with untreated patients and was similar to that of premenopausal women.

The French authors conclude, “Menopause appears to be associated with accelerated liver fibrosis progression in HCV-infected women, an effect that may be prevented by HRT.”

“Pregnancies may have a beneficial impact on the long-term progression of liver fibrosis.”

Reference

V Di Martino and others. Progression of liver fibrosis in women infected with hepatitis C: Long-term benefit of estrogen exposure. Hepatology 40(6): 1426-1433. December 2004.

[Lady Lauri]

That's interesting!! 49 and still not in menopause,  I have had 3 births, 3 miscarriages’ and 1 ectopic pregnancy! Guess I'd have cirrhosis by now if I wasn't so d*m fertile, LOL!
(stage 2-3 fibrosis.)

                                                                                                LL

[hairtamer]

I contracted hep c in '75 from a blood transfusion.  I was diagnosed in '99, with a VL of 200,000 and mild to minimal fibrosis.  I also saw the biopsy it was real pink and looked like bazooka chewing gum.  They told me my tissue looked very healthy.  I had just started into menopause at the same time and chose to do it all naturally.  In eight years I progessed to stage 2 grade 2 with a VL of 11,900,000.  I remembered this article ( in Liver Hope newsletter Jan '05) and thought maybe that could be why I progressed so fast.  I met Helen Clark, co founder of Liver Hope, at a hepfest here in AZ in 2000, she chose not to treat her hep c and looked absolutely great so I thought it would work for me.  So my gastro dr said I had 12 years until cirrhosis, I thought about this article and thought if menopause was a factor maybe it would be sooner.
In Jesus, the Reason for the Season,
Rose